In the run-up to the presidential elections Alyaksandr Lukashenka announced that on March 2-3, 2006 in Minsk the All-Belarusian Popular Assembly (APA) is to be convened. 2,500 people are to take part in the assembly. As Lukashenka’s press service informs, the corresponding Decree has been signed on January 12.

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In its January 10 2006 "Panorama" program Belarusian TV (BTV) continued its crude and unconscionable effort to misinform Belarusians about the views and activities of the United States and American diplomats. The program purported to present the views and words of Ambassador Krol on a variety of subjects but, as usual, BTV presented instead its own deliberately distorted commentary. Ambassador Krol did not make many of the statements attributed to him in the program, including those about the Belarusian constitution and economy. The program also distorted or exaggerated comments Ambassador Krol made at a recent press briefing he gave in Washington DC. The purported quote from Secretary of State Rice is a complete fabrication. Furthermore, BTV made no effort to confirm any of its "information" with the U.S. Embassy.

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A criminal action has been initiated against the head of Alyaksandr Milinkevich’s campaign headquarters in Zhodzina (Minsk region) Pavel Krasouski. The charges are relating “insult of civil servants”. A search has been held in the apartment of the opposition activist, all data carriers are confiscated. The reason for the criminal action was cartoons in the newspaper “Nabludatel”, published by Pavel Krasouski, Prima-News inform.

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During the stump over Vitsebsk region, Alyaksandr Milinkevich’s cortege is persistently followed by cars with tinted windows. Policemen and people in mufti are present at every public meeting of Alyaksandr Milinkevich. In particular, the conversation of Alyaksandr Milinkevich with students of Pyotr Masherau Vitsebsk State University was video-filmed.

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Czech senators Karel Schwarzenberg (Freedom Union, US-DEU) and Jaromir Stetina (Greens) have failed to receive visas to Belarus where they planned to meet representatives of the political opposition, they write in a statement sent to CTK. Schwarzenberg and Stetina said they are not surprised that they were not granted the visas by the tough regime of president Alexander Lukashenko.

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The Education Ministry of Belarus refused to reinstate Tatsyana Khoma at the Belarusian State Economic University. It was said in the official answer of the ministry to the appeal of the student submitted on December 1, 2005 from the order of the rector of the BSEU about her expulsion. The reason for expelling the student was “violation of internal regulations of the educational institution,” the letter of the deputy Minister of Education K. Farino reads.

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Representatives of the management of the joint stock company “Polimir” (Navapolatsk) are pressurizing the members of the Belarusian Independent Trade Union (BITU). As the internet-source www.praca-by.info states, the chairman of the primary organization Ivan Svyatocha, the works manager Mr Safonau in presence of the head of the primary organization of the official trade union “Belchimprafsajuz” forced his subordinate workers to write applications about leaving the BITU. He threatened members of the independent trade union by non-extension of the contract and cancelling their category.

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For a student to go abroad for a trainee job or studies, one needs permission of the Education Ministry now. However, these documents are hard to obtain in practice. Internship of students – philologists from the Belarusian State University in the Czech Republic, for instance, is likely to go wrong. Even visits in the Eastern direction are banned: students-physics have not received permission for internship in Dubna (Russia), the “Nasha Niva” informs. The international image of university and of Belarus is damaged by that.

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Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Belarus, former Minister of Foreign Economic Relations, a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the 12th convocation Mikhail Marynich was arrested in Minsk on April 26, 2004. Mikhail Marynich is to mark his birthday in prison for the second time. Last year at this time he was in Minsk remand prison, and this year he is in a Minsk colony in Kalvaryjskaya Street.

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During the winter session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg the situation in Belarus in the run-up to the presidential elections is to be discussed. As the Radio Svaboda informs, urgent debates on this topic are planned on January 26. As said by the PACE press service, the leader of the united democratic forces of Belarus Alyaksandr Milinkevich is invited to take part in the debate.

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Today the internet-source www.studgomel.com has received several emails from students of Homel universities. The letters state that the Belarusian State University of Transport an illegal collection of signatures continues. It is carried out with the direct participation of the administration of the educational institution. There are several known facts that the deans of some faculties guarantee successful passing of exams in case a student would bring a passport and sign for nomination of the incumbent president. The same things happen in F. Skaryna Homel State University. The deans’ office allows passing exams without credits in case one would submit a signature for A. Lukashenka.

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Independent publications in Belarus have virtually disappeared as a result of government suppression. In 2005, at least fifteen independent newspapers were denied printing or distribution services by state-owned monopolies.

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Alexander Lukashenko ruled out Thursday the possibility that his country might become part the Russian Federation. "We cannot become a part of Russia," Lukashenko said in the run up to presidential elections in March. "We created our own country and despite all the fluctuations in the world we will exist as a sovereign state."

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Alexander Lukashenko said Thursday he was convinced the March 19 presidential elections, which see him stand for a third time, would be held fairly and without incident.

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At least 3,500 volunteers are to become observers at the imminent presidential elections in Belarus. It was stated by Mikalay Astrejka, one of the organizers of the independent observation in e previous election campaign, in his interview to the newspaper “Belorusy i rynok”. At the same time, as said by him, “However, a discussion had been taken place for rather long time, if the observation should be held at all. Many have doubts that the observers would have a possibility to be present at the votes counting, which makes the effectiveness of this work disputable. But rather many young people joined us in this last year and a half. They are very active, and they are ready to monitor the development of the presidential elections,” Astrejka said.

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